Thursday of the 3rd week of Advent

1Give praise, O thou barren, that bearest not: sing forth praise, and make a joyful noise, thou that didst not travail with child: for many are the children of the desolate, more than of her that hath a husband, saith the Lord. 2Enlarge the place of thy tent, and stretch out the skins of thy tabernacles, spare not: lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes. 3For thou shalt pass on to the right hand, and to the left: and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and shall inhabit the desolate cities. 4Fear not, for thou shalt not be confounded, nor blush: for thou shalt not be put to shame, because thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt remember no more the reproach of thy widowhood. 5For he that made thee shall rule over thee, the Lord of hosts is his name: and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, shall be called the God of all the earth. 6For the Lord hath called thee as woman forsaken and mourning in spirit, and as a wife cast off from her youth, said thy God. 7For a, small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee. 8In a moment of indignation have I hid my face a little while from thee, but with everlasting kindness have I had mercy on thee, said the Lord thy Redeemer. 9This thing is to me as in the days of Noe, to whom I swore, that I would no more bring in the waters of Noe upon the earth: so have I sworn not to be angry with thee, and not to rebuke thee. 10For the mountains shall be moved, and the hills shall tremble; but my mercy shall not depart from thee, and the covenant of my peace shall not be moved: said the Lord that hath mercy on thee.

2I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast upheld me: and hast not made my enemies to rejoice over me.

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4Thou hast brought forth, O Lord, my soul from hell: thou hast saved me from them that go down into the pit.

5Sing to the Lord, O ye his saints: and give praise to the memory of his holiness.

6For wrath is in his indignation; and life in his good will. In the evening weeping shall have place, and in the morning gladness.

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11The Lord hath heard, and hath had mercy on me: the Lord became my helper.

12Thou hast turned for me my mourning into joy: thou hast cut my sackcloth, and hast compassed me with gladness:

13To the end that my glory may sing to thee, and I may not regret: O Lord my God, I will give praise to thee for ever.

24And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak to the multitudes concerning John. What went ye out into the desert to see? a reed shaken with the wind? 25But what went you out to see? a man clothed in soft garments? Behold they that are in costly apparel and live delicately, are in the houses of kings. 26But what went you out to see? a prophet? Yea, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 27This is he of whom it is written: Behold I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee. 28For I say to you: Amongst those that are born of women, there is not a greater prophet that John the Baptist. But he that is the lesser in the kingdom of God, is greater than he. 29And all the people hearing, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with John's baptism. 30But the Pharisees and the lawyers despised the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized by him.